Veteran sports writer Jim Utter covers NASCAR for The Charlotte Observer and its racing site, ThatsRacin.com. In this space, Jim writes about all things NASCAR and other forms of racing which may also be relevant ... or not.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was asked on Friday why he thought raw emotion resonates as much as it does with the NASCAR fan base.

NASCAR fans typically get very excited and riled up when drivers express emotion in races, such as following the incident that took place between Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth last week at Bristol, Tenn., when both wrecked and Stewart tossed his helmet at Kenseth's car. Earnhardt's answer:

"I’m sure everybody watching the
race has somebody’s neck they would like to ring. Maybe they live vicariously
through that emotion in some way. There is probably a co-worker or two they
wouldn’t mind running their fist into his face. It’s probably more
likely than you imagine. I assume they live vicariously through it. I do when I
watch football. I see what the players do on the field (and) I kind of get into the
emotional side of it when somebody is upset or a player gets real physical and
plays really hard," he said. "That is what you like to see and I think the fans really
like seeing that out of the drivers. Especially, we are inside the cars and we
are limited to our physical emotions and physical body language driving the
car. But when we get out and do things such as Tony (Stewart) did the fans
really connect to that. They really connect to that emotion and driving down
the road somebody cuts you off on the highway you would love to shoot them a
bird or something. Maybe you do.” Who doesn't?

World famous tightrope walker Nik Wallenda, who made headlines earlier this
year when he traversed a 1,500-foot span across Niagara Falls on live
television, will bring his high-wire thrill show to the Oct. 13 Bank of America 500 pre-race show at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. “We always strive to give fans an unforgettable race day experience,” said
Marcus Smith, president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “This
year, Nik wowed us all at Niagara Falls, and now fans can see him in action at
the greatest place to see the race. Whether it’s on the track or in the air, the
Bank of America 500 will be a combination of entertainment and thrills that only
Charlotte Motor Speedway can deliver.”No previous show has risen to the heights that will be achieved during this
year’s Bank of America 500, when Wallenda, a six-time Guinness World Record
holder for various acrobatic achievements, takes to the high wire. Wallenda will
descend from above the frontstretch grandstands over a span of more than 750
feet to a crane set up behind Victory Circle, all while balancing on a tiny
5/8-inch cord. At times the cord will hang more than 100 feet – 10 stories –
above the ground, and his total walk will equal the length of two-and-a-half
football fields. This year’s performance marks the 26th anniversary of The Flying
Wallendas’ high-wire act at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1986, when Nik’s
predecessors walked from the grandstands down to pit road as part of a
circus-themed prerace show. “I’m honored to continue the great Wallenda family tradition performing at
Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Wallenda said. “The speedway has always set the bar
for pre-race entertainment and excitement, and I’m looking forward to raising
that bar to new heights this year. “NASCAR drivers are used to driving on the edge, and in my job, it’s really
no different. It takes an extreme level of focus and commitment to
your craft to be successful, and there’s really nothing quite like the thrill of
being out there and performing.”